Method of and apparatus for narrowing knitted fabric



METHOD OF 'AND APPARATUS FOR ,NARROWING KNITTED FABRIC Original Filed Jan. '6, 1958 a Sh ets-She et 1 Y INVEN GR: flerberiErlkhflae/ZM,

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Oct.$21,1941. H.. E. HAEHNEL 2,259,974,

METHOD OFv AND APPARATUS FOR NARRWING KNITTED FABRJIC Original Filed Jan. 6,, 1938 a Sheets-Sheet 2 'FiE-J7.

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H. E. HAEHNEL METHOD YOF-AND APPARATUS FOR NARROWING KNITTED FABRIC 1 Original F 'iled Jan. 6, 19:58"

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METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR NARROWING KNIT'IAED FABRIC 8 Shee ts-Sheet 4 Original Filed Jan. s, 1938 INV.ENTORIV HereriEmk/flaekm, 5

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Oct; 21 1941. EWH EH'NEL METHOD OF AND APPARATUS .FOR NARROWING KNITTED ms Original Filed Jan. 6, 1938 I a She ets -She et 5 INVENTORI' fierberilr ATTORN Oct; 21, 1941.

H. E. H'AEHNEL I METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR NARROWING KNITTED FABRIC Original Filed Jan. 6, 1958 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 fierberiE INVENTOR bell/M1981,

, r I 'A'TTO'RNg -21,1941. -H.E.HAEHNEL 2,259,974

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR NARROWING KNITTED FABRIC v Original F iled Jan. 6, 19158 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENfQfi: HerberfiEIfiCbHaek/MQ Patented Oct. 21, 1941 NARROWING KNITTED FABRIC Herbert Erich .-Haehnel, West Reading, Pa., as-

signor to Textile- Machine Works, Wyomissing, V 7 Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania OriginaI application-January 6,

1938, Serial N0.

183,656. Divided and this application September 9 1940 ;"SerialNo. 355,888

(once-89) I.

t 11 Claims My invention relates to a novel method of; and

means for, producing knitted fabric, particularly as related to full fashioned stockings each having leg and foot'portions continuously 'knitted on a unit machine, and a heel element'subse-.

quently added. This application is a division of' my 'priorapplioation filed January 6, 1938, Serial No. 183,656, for knittedfabric and method of and means for producing the same, which has since eventuated into Patent No. 2,223,252. I Said patent containsclaims to articles withinfthe invention and claims to the broad methods -'of' making such articles.

" Those phases ofjmy invention comprising the means and'the machine method, andthe'claims thereon, have been transferred to this application.

In the'production w blanks, it has been usual to knit the welts, legs and heel tabs on one machine, known as aleg'er,

and to completethe blanksbytransferring them to a machine known as a footer, and knitting and fashioning the foot portions thereon, procedure causes the well known differencesof shade or tone forming 'a line between areas of the instep region knitted on the leggerandthe' footer machines, respectively, caused by unavoidf ablediscrepancies in the spacing of the needles of the twomachines, by the fact that the areas are knitted of yarn from different cones, and by other factors.

"Varioussug'gestions have been madetoward the above-mentioned defect, probably the first of which was to knit an entire stocking blank, including the welt theleg, theheel tabs andthe foot on one machine, known as a unit machine. In one such {machine a the elimination Of course of loops across the; instep area islifted by a'point comb off the needles, and the-comb allowed to recede from the plane of the needles: during the knitting of the heel tabs, after which" 'of full fashioned stocking only the handling,

the comb is brought back to the needle plane and the loops redeposited on the needles for completing the knitting of the foot portion. another machine, instead of lifting the instep loops off the needles, the needle bar is so split and a portion thereof allowed to recede with the instep course loops, and brought back again, after the completion of the heel tabs, as to" accomplish substantially the same result.

' It was later suggested to knit all of a stocking,

except the heel tabs, on one machine, and to subsequently add these tabs, or a unit heel pocket element, whereby the objectionable line, or differences of shade, between areas in the instep region was avoided. 1

elements directly to the Attempts along thefirst line, resulted; accord However, with this suggestion also, there arose still further problems as to whether, and .how, to knit the heel pocket elements, as 'separate entities to be topped or seamed in main blank, or stocking, or'to knit the heel pocket main blank. 5;" 'f

ing'to one suggestion, in the production of-se'pa rate half heel pocket elements to beatopped and This suggestion requires,- not seamedin place.

but also the maintenance of separate stocks, of the to" the half heel pocket element suggestion above mentioned, is to'produce an entirfe lieehpocketv element in one piece, and to assemble'itdn'posi tion by a'combina-tion of toppingi and 'seaming operations.

In the matter r knitting the heel eemeeem positionfrom loops of themain blankfitzhas heretofore been suggested to top the main blank onto needles and implements ofr a-heelerf 'ma-:

chine whereby, as the heel tabsiarei'knitted on' standard 'ne'edles, the loops of" the first course portions-"in'the sole areaj'at opposite. sides of the blank, are transferred 'fromn'eedlelike loopholding implements one at a *timeto-inside selvage edgeloops of the heel tabs as the latter are produced; Such methodhas thei'great advan-i tage of reducing the operation of producing thestocking to somewhat its former simple commer--' cial status bythe two machine logger and footer mechanism.= It' requires'no separate stocks of heel-i elements-but. only of the yarn thereof as it is knitted in place, and, at the same time, eliminates the instep line above set forth."

It is among the objects of. theinvention hereof to provide a method and region and,'in general, to. avoid all theobjettions to, former methods. and machines intended to.

produce a similar stocking.

In particular it ,is an ob ect hereof the last above-mentioned method, wherein loops 1 transferred, by eliminating of the sole area are the necessity forsuch ducing an improved stocking of ferent characteristics from any which I amawar'e.

It is an object to provide practicing themethodof the invention, and-pratransfer, and thereby producing thestocking, of/the invention; whereby the product of the above-mentio'nedunit.machine 55 may becompleted substantially-as satisfactorily position in the";

many small heel elements; Another prior suggestion, avoiding objections:

rnachine .wherebyi full; 'fashionedstockings may be produced ,without, differences .in shade between .areas of, the instep,

mat rey d 1 i r iw e 9? improved means for as, if not better than, the long practiced standard two-machine legger and footer method.

It is another object to utilize the novel principles and features of this invention in the pro will become apparent from the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, my invention resides in the novel steps and method and the novel elements, features ofconstruction and arrangement of parts in cooperative relationship as hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a View, in side elevation, of a full fashioned stocking made by the machine of and in accordance with the method of the invention, as arranged or folded in its flat form;

Fig. 2 is a view of a one-piece combined leg and foot blank, minus-the heel pocketelements, from which the stocking of Fig. 1 is formed, a section of the leg area being omitted;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to the lower portion of Fig. 2 of a' corresponding lower portion of a stocking blank made on a machine in accordance with the invention and according to the method of the invention;"

Fig. 4 is a view, similar to Fig. 3 of another modified form of blank produced by the invention;

Fig. 5 is a View of the blank portion of Fig. 4, after the heel elements have been knitted to position therein;

Fig. -6 is a view similar to the bottom portion of Fig. 1, of the stocking produced from the blanks of'Figs. 4 and 5;

Fig. '7 is a magnified loop diagram of an area A shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 4, but with a severing course or area severed in Fig. 7, and not severed in Fig. 4;

. Fig. 8 is a schematic diagrammatic layout of yarns as fed in the region of the area B shown in dot-and-dash lines of Fig. 4;

Figs. 9 to 13, inclusive are sequence diagrams similar to the lower portion of Fig. 2, but inverted" from'the position thereof corresponding to the service position of the stocking on the leg of the wearer to the position of the blankas the fabric comes from the machine, showing successive steps in the production of a finished blank;

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of the blank thereof, plus the heel pocket elements added during the steps of Figs. 9 to 13, inclusive;

Fig; 15 is a perspective rear View of the stocking of Fig. 1, as extended or rounded out in service on the leg of a wearer, but having its selvage edges slightly spaced apart prior to seaming; i

, Figs. 16, 17 and 18 are perspective views of portions of the blank of Fig. 2, and of the machine for adding thereto heel pocket elements shown in the figures at successive stages of production, cor- V responding to Figs. 10', 12 and 13, respectively;

Fig. 19 is a diagrammatic front elevation of portions 'of a full fashioned knitting machine modified in accordance with the invention, show-- ing the parts positioned as at one stage of operation; 7

Fig. 20. is aview similar to a portion of Fig. 19,

the. parts shown being positioned as at another stage of operation; I

'Fig. 21 is a view similar to Fig. 19,;with the parts at still further positions different from the position of the parts of Figs. 19 and 20;

Fig. 22 is a front to back sectional view, taken substantially along the line 22-22 of Fig. 19 of the machine thereof, but showing further elements; I

'- Fig. 23 is a View, similar to the bottom portion of Fig. 15, but with the back seam effected, of

another modified form ofstocking produced by the invention;

Fig-24 is a view of the completed blank portion from which the structure of Fig. 23 is produced;

parts necessary to a complete understanding of means constructed in accordance with the invention have been set forth; further information asto the construction and operation of other elements not herein specifically pointed out, but which are usual and well known, being available in the pamphlet entitled FullFashioned Knit ting Machines, copyright 1920, and in the Reading Full Fashioned Knitting Machine Catalogues, copyright 1929 and 1935, published by the Textile Machine Works, Reading, Pennsylvania, and in a pamphlet entitled Knitting Machine Lectures, published in 1935 by the Wyo-- missing Polytechnic Institute, Wyomissing, Penn sylvania.

' As'shown in Fig. 1, a full fashioned stocking produced by the invention is constructed as usual, except as to parts hereinafter to be more particularly pointed-out, and comprises a welt W, a narrowed upper knee area K, an intermediate leg section N, a lower leg portion L having a narrowed portion, upper reinforced heel areas U, a heel element H, an instep area I, reinforced solepor tions S, and a reinforced toe portion T. a The stocking, as thus constituted, but before the heel pocket element H is inserted, is produced,

from the blank of Fig. 2 which is not itself produced by a method or means of the invention; except in combination with'the corresponding new elements herein set forth. It comprises, in

' one continuously knitted fabric,.the welt W, the

knee area K, the leg area N, the lower leg portion L, the instep portion I, the sole portion S, and the toe portion T having a ravel area R therein, but omits the heel pocket element H of Fig. 1. To prepare the blank of Fig. 2 for the reception of the heel pocket element H of Fig. 1, it is provided, intermediate the reinforced upper heel areas U and the sole portions S, at each side of the walewise centerof the blank, with parallel successive course portions I! and I8, in walewise register with each other, having a severing area 19, as of one row of loops therebetween. The course portions I! of needle loops thus constitute the last or lowermost course portions in the heel areas U, and the course portions 18 of sinker and divider loops constitute the first or uppermost courseportions in the sole areas S, in the normal service position of the finished stocking on the leg of a wearer. As shown in Fig. 9, the

lower portion of the blank of Fig. 2 is inverted from its position o'fFig. 2, viewed as it comes from the front of the machine.

As indicated in Fig. 9, the severing areas I9 have been severed, leaving slits 22 whereby the course portions I1 and I8 are rendered separable out of, ortransversely to, the plane of the blank for folding the latter, as in Fig. 10. In the latter figure, the blank has been folded, at one side of the course portions I1 and I8, toward the toe end, atv the left walewise side of the blank,about a walewise line XL, adjacent to the position of the inner end of the left hand or corresponding courseportions I1 and I8, as viewed in Fig. 9', and; at the right walewise side of the blank, about .a walewise line XR adjacent to the position of the'inner end of the right hand course portions I1 and I8, the blankalso being folded about a coursewise line Y between the course portions I1 and 'I8, thus placing the latter in substantial alignment with each other for topping onto adjacent needles, and rendering the course portions I8 iinner course portions relative to the outer course portions I1. The blank, as shown in Fig. 10, is in its position of topping onto the needles of a heeler machine of the invention, hereinafter set forth.

Fig. 11 indicates the appearance of the blank when, upon continuing the knitting thereof to produce heel tab areas HT, a few courses have been formed to a first course portion 23 at each side of the blank in which narrowing. is effected. From each course portion 23 to a shorter'course portion 24, which may or may not be a loose course for purposes hereinafter described, as seen in Fig. '12, shaping or narrowing is intermittently effected along the walewise center lines XL, and XR simultaneously in opposite c'oursewise direc tions forming narrowing marks 21' (Fig. 1) .along substantially parallel lines 28 (Fig. 12). This operation tapers the areas HT along sloping edges 29 from the course portion 23 to the course portion 24, from the latter of which, a ravel area 32 (Fig. 13) is formed. The blank is then complete, as shown in Fig. 14 after which, the half portions of each ravel area 32 are folded into flat face engagement with each other about 'a medium coursewise line of the blank, as viewed in Fig. 14, and the corresponding half portions of the short course 24 looped to each other along lines 34, as shown in Figs. 1 and 15, during'which looping operation the ravel course portion 32 is removed. As shown in Fig. 15, selvage edges 31 which are later seamed together to form a usual backseam 38 (Fig. 1), are spaced a slight distance apart to better illustrate the constru'ctionof the stocking particularly in and about the pocket element H.

Referring to Figs. 16 to 22, inclusive (first see Figs. 19 to 22, inclusive), portions of a full fash-' ioned knitting machine, for accomplishing the previously recited results, include center frames 42, a front beam 43, a back beam 44, a front bed' 41, a center bed 48, and loop forming mechanism E including needles 49, a needle bar 52, a needle bar clamp 53, sinkers 54, dividers 51 and knockover bits 58. Two needle bar sections of a multi-section machine are indicated in Figs. 19 and 21. Yarn laying means F, includes brack-' ets, such as a bracket 62 secured to the center bed 48, for supporting yarn carrier bars I to 1,

inclusive.

The machine, in this instance, is a modified footer machine, or in other words, the invention may be considered as an attachment to a footer" machine whereby, by "slight alterations, it may .be. utilized either Jasa footer or as aheeler ma- :chine. In its capacity as a footer it may require the several yarn carrieri rods illustrated, and, in its. capacity, as a heeler machine, it may require a smaller number, such as the three rods 5, 6 and 1. A machine constructed to operate only as a heeler machine therefore does not or-. dinarilyrequire as many'yarn-carriers as are i1- lustrated, or other parts of. a heeler, and may consequently 'be initially constructed at a saving in size, weight and cost. I v

The yarn carrier" bar 1 carries two yarn guide fingers DI and D2 for each needle bar "section disposed, and adapted to operate, at opposite sides of the vertical center line of the corresponding section in the production of the heel tab areas HT at opposite sides of .the walewise centerv line of the blank. I

Thecarrierbar 1 is reciprocated longitudinally in a usual manner, by the coulier motion mech-' anism of the machine, between adjustable contact screws 63. and 64 on left and right hand end stops 61 and 68, respectively. The stops 61 and 68 are carried .by yarn carrier end stop nuts 12 and 13, respectively, onspindlesl14 journaled in bearings 11, and'having' ratchet wheels 18 by which the spindles are operated to vary the distances of reciprocation of the yarn carrier bar 1. Narrowing rods 82 and 83 are longitudinally slidably-journaled in bearing brackets, such as the bracket 84 (Fig. 22)

The rod 82 carries, at the left end of each needle barsection, a'narrowing comb CLI, and the rod 83 carries, at the right of each comb CLI, also at the left of the center of each needle bar setcion, a narrowing comb CRI. The rod 82 also carries, at the right of the, center of each needle bar section, a narrowing comb CL2, and the rod 83 carries at the right of each'comb GL2 at the right end of each needle bar section, a narrowing comb CR2. The rod 82 is biased toward the left, as viewed in Figs. 19, 20 and 21, by a spring 81 connected between an arm 88 on the rod, and an arm 89 on the inner bearing 11 "or Th'e'rod 83 is biased the left end spindle 14. toward the right, by-a spring 92 connected be: tween an arm 93 on the rod, and an'arm 94"on the inner bearing 11.0f the right end spindle 14.

The rod 82 carries an adjustable contact screw 91 at its left end for engagement with the right side of alongitudinally movable elongated cam or wedge-like element 98, and the rod 83 carries an adjustable contact screw 99 at its left end for engagement with the left side of the wedge 98.

The latter has portions I52 and I03 constitut ing high and low cam portions, respectivelvsuch' that when the wedge is reciprocated longitudinally from its position of Fig. 19 to its position of Fig. 22, the rods 82 and 83 are moved longitudinally relative to each other by a distance equal to a two needle spacing along the needle banks of the respective needle bar sections.

The wedge 98 is vertically reciprocably jour-' naled in a bearing bracket I04 secured, as by screws I91, to the center bed 48, and has a lower end portion IUBthat is pivotally connected, by a pin I09, to a link H2. The latter is pivotally connected, by a pin II4, to a lever arm II1 that is pivotally supported by a-pin I I8 'in one of the center frames 42, and carries a follower or roller II9 for engagement with either of cams I22 and I23 fixed to-a usual camshaft I24. The follower H9 is biased toward the cams by a spring I21 connected between a hook end I28 of the'lever;

arm III and a bracket I29 clamped to the back beam 44. fThe cam I22 is circular so that, when the follower H9 is on this cam, as shown in Figs. 19 and 21, the machine is in ordinary knitting condition,-and no narrowing movement is imparted to the narrowing points I32 of the combs CLI, CRI, CLZ and CR2. When the cam shaft I24 is shogged to the right, the follower II9 rides on the contoured narrowingcam I23 such that the wedge 98 is reciprocated vertically to. reciprocate the narrowing rods simultaneously in opposite directions.

Dipping movement of the narrowing points is efiected in a usual manner, by a usual mechanism including a front narrowing shaft I33 on which the brackets 84 are mounted, and a curved lever arm I34 pivotally mounted by a back narrowing shaft I31 that is mounted in brackets, such as the bracket I33 on the machine frame.

As shown in Fig. 16, inwhich the position of the blank corresponds to its position of Fig. 10, the course portions I1 and I8 are mounted on the needles 49, and the blank maintained taut by welt hooks I42 on a welt bar I43 that is connected, by a strap I44, to a usual take off roller I41 on a shaft I48.

In Fig. 17, the parts are positioned corresponding to the stage of operation at which the blank is completed to its form of Fig. 12, after which the ravel courses are added, as shown in Figs. 13-

and 18.

During the operation in which the above-mentioned steps are effected, plain and narrowed courses are at first eiTected in about the ratio of five or six courses to one narrowed course, after which, as the formation of the heel tabs HT approaches the ends of the latter, the narrowings are effected more frequently.

As shown in Fig. 19, the parts are in plain knitting position, and the end stops 6'! and 68 positioned as shown. Each of the combs CLI and CRI merely operates back and forth a two needle distance, and this distance is in the same location at each operation. The combs GL2 and CR2 operate likewise, never changing the general location along the needle bank, but always working back and forth over the same two needle span. The combs may be operated back and forth a one needle distance, and the number of narrowings increased, or the arrangement of narrowing marks changed, as hereinafter set forth, to produce the heel tab areas to the desired size and shape.

After each narrowing, the first of which is indicated as being effected in Fig. 20, by the position of the wedge 98 causing the combs of each pair to move toward each other, the end stops 61 and 68 are each moved inwardly a two needle distance, indicated by the small vertical lines a, b and above the stops. Plain courses are then formed to the length determined by the end stops, until the next narrowing, when the above procedure is repeated, and the end stops are again moved toward each other a further two needle distance. Thus, although, the narrowing combs never advance inwardly beyond the two needle span over which they work, the end stops advance by successive additional two needle distances upon successive narrowings. Fig. 21 illustrates the. finish of the first narrowing in which the wedge 98 has dropped to lower posiiton, the follower H9 is on the circular cam I22, and the end stops have advanced inwardly two needles.

Yarn guide fingers, such as the finger P associated with the yarn guide finger DI of Fig. 22,

' damaging the fabric.

length as, the carriers P. Where plating is de- 7 sired, the fingers P are given the usual lead relative to the carriers DI and D2 by mechanism not of itself constituting part of this invention.

In the modified form ofblank portion shown in Fig. 3, in which corresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference characters having the subscript a, the only difierence in construction over that of the first form resides in the provision of widened reinforced portions J at each side of theblank.

The blank is otherwise folded and arranged relative to the heeler machine needles, as in Figs. 10 and 16, and completed in the manner of completing the blank of the first described form, the result in the finished stocking providing a heel'pocket element of slightly modified shape and greater fullness.

In the modified form of blank portion 'shown in Fig. 4, in .which parts corresponding to parts previously described are designated by corresponding reference characters having the subscript I), the construction is similar to that of Fig. 3, except that areas I49 of widened portions Jb' are of single or reduced yarn thickness to which no heel pocket fabric is knitted, and which are severed from the blank by cutting along lines defined by the adjacent reinforced areas prior to forming a back seam 38b, Fig. 6, these areas being provided merely to facilitate the production of the individual blank portions therebelow. Thus, the course portions IIb, to which heel tab fabric is knitted, are shorter than the course portions I8b so that, when these course portions are aligned, as in Fig. 10, and centered relative to the narrowing combs, fashionmarks 21b are in the center of the heel pocket elements I-ITb (Fig. 5), but, however, are lower on the stocking than the corresponding marks 21 of Figs. 1, 14 and 15. This feature is further desirable inasmuch as any contributing strain occasioned by the narrowings in the fabric is not directed to the turning point of the heel where the sole portion Sb, the upper heel portion Ub and the instep Ib meet and which is considered to be one of the weaker points in stockings as heretofore constructed, but is instead spread to a lower area. in the stockings Where these additional strains will be more readily absorbed without Thus, another variety or selection of heel size and shape is provided. As shown in Fig. 7, the severing course IBb of Fig. 4 has been severed, thus'providing a slit 22b between the course portions I'Ib and I8b for folding the blank, as above set forth. Thisfigure also better illustrates the thickness and position of one of the areas I49 relative to the adjacent areas, and the particular configurations and loop relations of the yarns.

Fig. 8 further exemplifies how a body yarn I50 is laid through the areas I49, the areas Ub, the reinforced sole areas, and the lower leg area approaching the instep I, in the relation of the body yarn to a reinforcing yarn I52 of the areas Ub and Sb in the widened portions Jb The course portions I'Ib and I8b, and the severing area I9b,' at one side of walewise one course from the corresponding feathe fabric, are offset tures, respectively, at the other Side ofthe fabric," as'indicated in Fig. 8. I

- In the form of fabric shown inFigs. 23 and 24, in which parts corresponding to parts previously described, are designated by corresponding reference characters having the subscript c, the construction is similar to the first described for'ms thereof, except that additional narrowing is effected which produces narrowing marks I53 along lines sloping or curved relative to the lines ofthe marks 210 at each side of the walewise center line of each heel tab area HTc for-causingyin the example given, a more sudden taper of the tabs toward the outer ends thereof.

In the form of fabric shown in Figs. 25 and 26, and in the modified form of machine, shown in Figs. 27 and 28 for producing portions of this fabric, parts corresponding to parts previously described, are designated by corresponding reference characters having the subscript d. In both the fabric and the machine, the construction is similar to the above-described forms thereof except that the additional narrowing represented by marks I53d, along lines parallel to the lines of the marks 21d at each side of the walewise center line of each heel tab area I-ITcZ, is provided by the use of covering knives I54 to cover the loops inwardly thereof, after the completion of th narrowing which produces the marks 210.

Each covering knife I54 is carried at the free end of a lever I51 having its other end fixed to a covering shaft I58 journaled on the narrowing rod brackets 8401. A spring I59, connected between the inner end of a lever I62 on the shaft I58 and a pin I63 associated with the front narrowing shaft I38d, operates to bias the lever I62 clockwise about the axis of the pin I58, as viewed in Fig. 28. An upright rod I64 extends loosely through a swivel member I61 at the outer end of the lever I62. The rod is pivotally connected at its lower end, by a pin I68, to.one end of a lever I69. The latter is pivoted at its other end, by a pin I12, to a portion of the machine frame, and carries intermediate its ends, on a pin I13, a follower I14 for cooperation with circular and contoured cams I15 and I16, respectively, on the cam shaft I24d.

A lever I11, having on oneof its arms a fork I18 embracing the follower I14, is pivoted about the axis of a vertical pin I19 in a bracket I82 on the machine frame, and has a fork I83 on its other arm I84 embracing the upper arm of a lever I81 that is pivoted by a horizontal pin I88 in the bracket I82. A lower arm I89 has a forked end portion I92 embracing a horizontal rod I93 between collars I94 on the latter. The rod I93 is supported along the front beam 43d, and leads to a usual pattern chain mechanism for longitudinal reciprocation thereby.

During plain knitting, and also during the formation of the narrowings represented by the marks 21d, the follower I14 rides on the circular cam I15, the latter being of such thickness that the follower remains thereon during shogging of the cam shaft from its plain knitting position to its position of effecting the narrowings 21d.

After the narrowings 21d are efiected in any one course, the narrowings I53d are effected in that course by shifting of the rod I93 from the pattern mechanism, this shifting acting through the collars I94, the lever I81, the fork I83, the lever ,I11 and the fork I18, to. move the follower I14 off the circular cam I15 and onto the contoured cam I16.

" The rod I64 carries collars I91 and I98, respectively,- fixed thereto above and below the member I61--such that, when the follower I14 is on a 'high point-of the cam I16, or on the circular cam I15,1 the lower collar I98 holds the knife I54 in an inactive position. When the follower I14 is on a low point of the cam name collar I98 is removed from beneath the member I61 so that the knife I54 is free to move downwardly about the axis of the shaft I58 to position for blocking out certain of the fashioning points. Of course, the improvements specifically shown and described by which I obtain the above results, can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. The method of forming a heel portion in a stocking fabric blank, which includes simultaneously narrowing said heel portion in opposite directions at one side of the walewise center line of said stocking fabric blank.

2. The method of forming heel portions in a fabric blank, which includes simultaneously narrowing said heel portions in opposite directions at each side of the 'walewise center line of the blank.

3. The method of forming a tapered knitted fabric heel portion which comprises successively simultaneously narrowing such as to form narrowing marks along parallel walewise lines.

4. The method of forming a tapered heel portion in a knitted fabric blank portion at one side of the walewise center line of the blank, which comprises successively simultaneously narrowing such as to form narrowing marks along parallel walewise lines at said side.

5. The method of forming a tapered heel portion in a knitted fabric blank portion at each side of the walewise center line of the blank, which comprises successively simultaneously narrowing such as to form narrowing marks along parallel walewise lines at each of said sides.

,6. Means including loop forming mechanism for forming a fabric blank portion, said means comprising a plurality of narrowing points for operation at one side of the walewise center line of the blank, means for successively operating said points simultaneously in opposite directions in the same course, covering knife means, and means foractuating said covering knife means to be in active position during one of which includes simultaneously narrowing in opposite directions at one side of the walewise center line of the blank and performing said narrowing in such a way that all the fashion marks will lie in two lines parallel to the wales in the area in which said fashion marks are to be found.

9. The method of forming heel portions in a fiat knitted stocking blankwhich includes simultaneously narrowing the heel portions in opposite directions atone side of the walewise center line or" the blank and performing said narrowing in such a way that all the fashion marks will be in two given lines parallel to the wales in the area in which said fashion marks are to be formed.

10. The method of forming tapered heel portions in a flat knitted stocking blank at each side of the walewise center line of the blank which comprises cutting the blank inwardly from the selvage at both sides along a given course in the region of the heel, arranging all the loops on both sides of each cut on spaced groups of alined needles on opposite sides of the center line of the blank, knitting heel portions on the loops of said cuts, and narrowing each of said heel portions simultaneously in opposite directions tonic-rm fashion marks all in given parallel lines.

11. The method of forming tapered heel por-. 

